Kip Silas

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Kip Silas
Biographical information
Homeworld:	Sedra
Personal details
Species:	Human
Gender:	Male
Hair color:	Black or brown
Political and military information
Affiliation:	Sedran Colonial Guard (Formerly) Office of Naval Intelligence
Rank:	Engineer Undercover agent
Service number:	KS-67159-021127

Kip Silas: "You gonna report it?"

Rion Forge: "Yeah, rookie. I'm going to report it."

— Captain Rion Forge and Kip Silas discuss what to do concerning the wreckage of the UNSC Roman Blue.

Kip Silas, formerly Silas Kipley, is an Office of Naval Intelligence agent who formerly served undercover as an engineer aboard the Ace of Spades, a heavily-modified Mariner-class transport ship captained by Rion Forge. He is the newest hire to join the ship's small crew.

Biography

At least according to his cover legend, Kip loved spacecraft as a child. He had models of Halcyon-class light cruisers and dreamed of getting to see one up close. Like many others, he lost people he cared about during the war.

Silas Kipley was serving as a forensics expert for the Sedran Colonial Guard at the time of the 2556 terrorist attack on Sedra City, in which his wife Talia and their unborn child were killed. Some time following the event, he was approached by the Office of Naval Intelligence, who offered him a job as an undercover agent. Devastated by the loss of his family, Kipley accepted, hoping to prevent similar tragedies from befalling others. He was subsequently given a new identity as "Kip Silas" and was tasked with infiltrating an independent salvager crew led by Rion Forge.

Prior to being hired by Captain Forge in the last weeks or months of 2556, he conducted extensive research on her and her ship. Unbeknownst to Kip, she did even more research on him, though she did not manage to uncover his true nature as an ONI operative. When the time did come for a role on the Ace of Spades to be offered and accepted, Rion made sure to clearly state the rules that would govern how they salvaged: there was to be no smuggling of any kind and no sales of large arms or WMDs.

In January of 2557, after having been out on a specific job for the past six weeks, the crew of the Ace of Spades returned to New Tyne, Venezia for less than a day. Kip and the others dared to think that they were due for some rest and relaxation, but after valuable intel was offered to Rion, that idea shattered quickly. Kip accompanied Rion and Lessa to meetings with Nor Fel and Rouse, at Nor Fel's clearing house and Tiny Birds, respectively. Both individuals were instrumental in the acquisition of the location of a ship of unknown class or design, which turned out to be the wreck of the UNSC Roman Blue. Having secured this data, the three made their way to the New Tyne Airfield where their ship and the rest of the crew waited. During a discussion about the possible finds that might await them at their destination, Kip revealed himself to be uncomfortable with operating outside the strict parameters set forth by the UNSC Salvage Directive. The others reassured him that the United Nations Space Command couldn't afford to waste time on salvagers like them and Rion reminded him that there were still moral precepts the crew adhered to in spite of breaking a law or two when the situation called for it.

Upon arriving at Eiro, the moon of Chi Rho in the Ectanus 45 system, Kip needed to be shown by the others both how to link the heads-up display of his helmet and communications to theirs, as well as how to activate the antigravity plates on the carts used for collecting salvage. Thanks to Kip's expertise, the Roman Blue was instantly identified as a Halcyon-class light cruiser. Forge split the crew up to investigate different parts of the wreck, with Kip and her heading for the bridge. It took them forty-five minutes and they had to backtrack numerous times before finally arriving. After Niko reported cryo chambers that could be scavenged in the ship's cryo bay, Rion sent Kip to assist him. Before long, ordnance rocked the vessel as unknown assailants fired upon it.

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Personality and traits

Kip Silas is a muscular man with a well-built frame. He is calm and easy-going. Most notably, he has been likened to a "walking data chip of every class of ship in the known universe". This knowledge makes him a great engineer. From an ethical perspective, Kip is very concerned with doing things carefully and correctly. He does not want to break the law if it is unnecessary, and he shows genuine concern for people he has never met that could be affected by his actions. Despite his reservations, he is drawn to adventure and discovery. Rion Forge was happy with his addition to her crew, and the two of them have been known to share smiles with one another at times at the expense of other crew members. He is described Walter Hahn with a lingering moral compass, and as someone who wants to see the best in people. Despite the difference in ethical viewpoints between himself and his employers, Silas believes that ONI is best suited to keep a disaster like the attack on Sedra City from happening in the future. He wishes to spare others his pain and is willing to work with ONI to help save lives.

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List of appearances

• Halo: Nightfall
  • Cooperative Protocol (First appearance)
• Halo: Fractures
  • Into the Fire
• Halo: Smoke and Shadow
• Halo: Renegades

Sources

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